NASA agrees with Larson and has published recruiting posters that encourage people to think about taking the ( at minimum) 30-million-mile trip to the Red Planet. NASA isn’t only looking for astrophysicists, geologists and engineers. The space agency is targeting average folks.

“If man kind eventually wants to colonize Mars, you need all types of people. You don’t just need scientists. You need teachers, farmers, the garbage men — people who do everyday things on earth,” Larson said.

Even by NASA’s own predictions getting a human to Mars is still decades away, perhaps thirty years or so. Given that, most of us who are already working are too old. The ideal recruit is in second grade and that’s who NASA is aiming its promotion at.

“Kids now who don’t really know what they want to do, you’ve got to inspire them. I think these posters are good at inspiring,” Larson said.